Water Lily

Scientific Name : Nymphaea odorata Family : Nymphaeaceae Common names : American White Water lily Flowering Season : All round the year Colour : White, Violet, Pink

Water Lilies are aquatic perennials with beautiful flowers. There are about 40 species of water lilies in the world, plus numerous hybrids and varieties. This water plant can be grown in ponds or basins / containers which can hold 4 to 5 liters of water. The flowers are fragrant with a yellow center and many spiral petals around 3-5" wide which tapers towards the ends. The leaves are flat, spherical with a waxy water repellent upper side with green colour and purplish colour underneath around 8-14" that floats on the surface. 

Planting
The plants are propagated through seeds and sprouting rhizomes or bulbs. The fruit which develops underwater is a spongy round berry which, when ripe releases up to 2000 seeds. The saplings and rhizomes can be planted within 6-8 inches deep from the water surface and barely covered with soil. When several new leaves appear more water can be added or moved to deeper water in the ponds.

Lily's will flower three months after planting. The flowers will remain for three- four days, until they are pollinated. The buds on long solitary stalks will appear on the surface of the water and bloom by early dawn. They grow best in fresh calm water. The plants which are grown in basins/ containers will have flowers and leaves smaller in size than those grown in ponds.